2 Samuel 15:14David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword."
The setting
David's palace throne room, Jerusalem, Israel, ~1000 BC. The greatest king in Israel's history makes the hardest decision of his life — abandon his capital to save his people.
The emotion here: capturing a king's wisdom in choosing humility over destruction
The original word
nûs (נוּס) — to flee, but not in cowardice; strategic withdrawal to fight another day
Why it matters
David had only minutes to decide — Absalom's army was already crossing the Jordan River
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Samuel 15:14
David said 'let us flee' — he didn't order others to flee while staying himself
Common misconceptionPeople see this as cowardice, but David was preventing civil war casualties. He chose his people's lives over his throne's prestige.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Samuel 15:14
Bible Genome reading
2 Samuel 15:14 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Samuel 15:14 comes from the book of 2 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include retreat, survival, leadership. Notable phrases: Arise, and let us flee. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does 2 Samuel 15:14 mean to you, today?
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